Policy Statement

Regular faculty members with academic year (38 weeks) appointments may be granted summer appointments for teaching, research or service during the off-semester period. Summer appointment periods for more than 10 weeks are conditional upon certain requirements as described under Policy Requirements.

Policy Requirements

Compensation for the off-semester is at a rate of 1/38th of the institutional base salary (IBS) for each such week.

Summer appointment periods for more than 10 weeks is conditional upon the following requirements:

The funding source (such as grantor) rules must permit the proposed summer appointment and funding must be available. (The Sponsored Programs Office should be consulted if there are questions regarding grant regulations.)

Authority to approve summer appointments for more than 10 weeks resides with the chair and dean within the colleges, and the dean and provost within the schools (all requests require two levels of approvals).

If the summer appointment period is for the full off-semester, there must be a clear understanding that no time is available during that summer for time-off/downtime, and the faculty member certifies they will forgo time-off/downtime between semesters.

Summer appointments for the full off-semester period in successive years are conditional upon the successful completion of all teaching and research obligations under the previous appointments and a positive appraisal of the dean.

Reason for Policy

Regular faculty members will be compensated for their efforts during an off-semester period. Faculty whose efforts are spread throughout the entire off-semester period and are receiving full off-semester period (summer) compensation, must certify they will forgo any time-off/downtime.

Related Policy Information

If a regular faculty member receives the entire off-semester compensation from externally sponsored projects, no proposals can be submitted by that faculty member during the off-semester. Proposal preparation costs are unallowable as a direct charge to externally sponsored projects.

Definitions

Academic Year Appointment - A 38 week period comprised of two semesters, each of which is 19 weeks in length.

Off-Semester (Period) - The weeks between the end of one academic year appointment to the beginning of the next academic year appointment.

Hiring Department - The department hiring the employee for the appointment, which in some cases may also be the employee's primary department if the appointment is within the primary department.

Institutional Base Salary (IBS) - Annual compensation paid by the University for an employee's appointment, whether that individual's time is spent on research, instruction, administration or service. IBS does not include additional, bonus, or faculty summer compensation. IBS also excludes any income that an individual is permitted to earn outside of duties for the University.

Intra-University Consulting - Consulting which occurs between two separate and distinct departments within the University. For purposes of this policy, research centers which are functioning units within a school or college are not separate and distinct departments.

Primary Department - Employee's home department.

Regular Faculty Member - An employee with an academic appointment as an on-going, full-time, 38 week appointment. The appointment may be non-tenure track lecturer ranks, professor of practice, research professor ranks, and tenure-track and/or tenured faculty.

Responsibilities

College Dean - Reviews the Employee Status Change form if the summer appointment is for more than 10 weeks and signs the form indicating approval. If the appointment is for the full off-semester, also reviews the Full Off-Semester (Summer) Appointment Request and Certification form and signs the Employee Status Change form to indicate approval of the appointment for the full off-semester and recognizes no time off/downtime will be taken during the summer by the faculty member.

Department Chair or Director or Faculty Supervisor - Reviews the Employee Status Change form for the appointment and if the request is for the full off-semester period, also reviews the Full Off-Semester (Summer) Appointment Request and Certification form, and signs the Employee Status Change form to indicate approval of the appointment for the full off-semester and recognizes no time off/downtime will be taken during the summer by the faculty member.

Faculty - Reports effort in a timely and appropriate manner on the effort certification form; certifies effort when already compensated from external funding source(s); consults with the Sponsored Programs Office whether or not the funding source (such as grantor) rules permit the proposed summer appointment and funding must be available; and if the summer appointment period is for the full off-semester, completes and signs the Full Off-Semester (Summer) Appointment Request and Certification form indicating they will forego an opportunity for time off/downtime during the summer.

Hiring Department (in some cases the hiring department may also be the primary department) - Completes the Employee Status Change form, ensures appropriate approvals (two signatures on all requests and for requests over 10 weeks, chair and dean within colleges and dean and provost within schools) on the request form, and if the appointment is for the full off-semester, ensures a signed Full Off-Semester (Summer) Appointment Request and Certification form is included with the Employee Status Change form.

Human Resources - Receives the completed form and reviews for accuracy and appropriate signatures, obtains provost/vice president signatures as applicable, and processes request for payment.

Provost - For summer appointments for faculty within schools, reviews the Employee Status Change form if the appointment is for more than 10 weeks and signs the form to indicate approval. If the appointment is for the full off-semester, also reviews the Full Off-Semester (Summer) Appointment Request and Certification form and signs the Employee Status Change form to indicate approval of the full off-semester appointment.

School Dean - Reviews the Employee Status Change form for the summer appointment and if the request is for the full off-semester period, also reviews the Full Off-Semester (Summer) Appointment Request and Certification form, and signs the Employee Status Change form to indicate approval of the appointment for the full off-semester and recognizes no time off/downtime will be taken during the summer by the faculty member.

Sponsored Programs Office (SPO) - If the summer appointment is from a sponsor, ensures funding is available.